Roasted Roots with Raw Beetroosh

Lately we have done some root searching (in our recipes that is). Roots are one of the few things that actually can stand our northern climate. Still, we have not been using them very much even in our green kitchen. Sure, we have oven roasted them every now and then or used them in a salad, soup or a juice, but that is about it. Not nearly good enough.

Roots are the trolls of the vegetable group — thick, wrinkly, ugly and hidden under the earth. But you know what? It is about time they got a better reputation. They are flavorful, versatile, nutrient, often sweet and one of the least expensive things you can cook with. And if you peel of their earthy skin all kind of beautiful colors appear. So come beetroot, sunroot, blackroot, yam, rutabaga and turnip. 2012 is the year you will turn into swans. At least in our kitchen. We intend to use you a lot more in our cooking. We’re thinking salad, risotto, root mash, lasagna and maybe some more juices. You just wait.

We start off with one of our more popular roots, the beetroot. They are of course delicious to boil or roasted in the oven with some feta cheese, but today we’re using it raw – to keep its nutrients intact. We got inspiration from a burger we had at a raw food cafe and made a beet spread that we’ve named Beetroosh (think hummus and baba ganoush). We used avocado and cashews to make it creamy, and mustard, capers, lemon and thyme to give it some extra flavor. It came out super delicious! You can use it on crisp, in a wrap, on a bread or as a side dish to any meal.

We served it with roasted sweet potatoes and sunroots and thinly sliced raw carrot, radish and some salad. So in this dish the roots are turned into a spread, they are oven roasted and they are eaten raw. We told you they were versatile!

Start by wash, peel and grate the raw beetroots. Add all ingredients in a food processor or blender and process or blend until smooth. Taste and add some more mustard, lemon juice, salt and pepper if needed. Eat immediately or store in an airtight container for 3-4 days.

Wash and give the sweet potatoes and jerusalem artichoke a good scrub to remove any dirt. Keep the peel on. Cut the sweet potato length wise and divide the sunroots in half. Place on a baking sheet and drizzle with olive oil. Season with salt and pepper. Bake for around 45 minutes, tossing occasionally, until the vegetables are tender and lightly browned.

Yum! I make a similar dish that I call borscht dip. Grated beet, 2 cups of white bean (kidney or great northern, whatever), 1 clove garlic, then olive oil, lemon juice, and lots of fresh dill. So delicious! Thanks for the idea of beetroosh to expand my repertoire. I hope you try the borscht dip.

I absolutely love the idea of beetroosh! Brilliant. My family is from Russia and beets are beloved, but I had always feel a been constrained by them. In the last few years, I’ve tried experimenting by eating them raw, pureed, etc. Will definitely be trying this!

Oh that looks incredibly delicious. We lived in CA for almost 10 years and rarely ate root vegetables because of the abundance of other fresh vegetables and fruits. When we moved back to northern Germany I rediscovered those precious earth gems like parsnips and root celery and our family is really thriving on them. You are totally right: They are completely underestimated!

Hey! Sembra buonissimo! Do you think it would work with cooked beetroots? I can’t wait to try it! I love your blog btw, have been following you since the beginning, but never dared to post a comment, shame on me! No, seriously, your blog is amazing, not just the pictures, but the whole lifestyle behind it! Complimenti! Ciao!

Salve Chiare e grazie!
I actually don’t think cooked beetroots will taste very good in this recipe. The rawness give this spread a fresh taste that you won’t achieve if you cook them. We’re glad that you dared to comment, that wasn’t so dangerous, was it ;-)
Ciao
/David

Hey guys, love the blog! Got an easier beetroosh recipe for you (even though yours rocks!)…its a fav of mine: beetroots, wasabi and spoonful or so of greek yoghurt to give it a pretty swirl…freezes like a charm and the combo of wasabi and beet…magic!
When I make a beet and dark chocolate cake I add wasabi too to give it a little kick!

This recipe tasted real great, the freshnees and spiciness of the beetroosh gave a perfect combination with the more earthe and sweet qualities of the roasted root vegetables. Instead of cashew nuts i took almonds. Wrote about it in my foodblog.